December | 2013 | The Hare Krishna Movement

Meditation upon the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa

05 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Narada Muni, Srimad Bhagavatam Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna, Liberated souls, meditate on the lotus feet of the lord, Narada Muni, Personality of Godhead, supersoul, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vyasa, Vyasadeva

This morning I was reading from the First Canto, sixth chapter of the Srimad Bhagavatam entitled “Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva”. Here Śrī Nārada Muni is explaining how it is, he attained his present transcendental body, and his encounter with the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This is a beautiful chapter and I find myself reading it again and again.

After that, under the shadow of a banyan tree in an uninhabited forest I began to meditate upon the Supersoul situated within, using my intelligence, as I had learned from liberated souls.

As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love, tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared on the lotus of my heart.

O Vyāsadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord.

The transcendental form of the Lord, as it is, satisfies the mind’s desire and at once erases all mental incongruities. Upon losing that form, I suddenly got up, being perturbed, as is usual when one loses that which is desirable.

I desired to see again that transcendental form of the Lord, but despite my attempts to concentrate upon the heart with eagerness to view the form again, I could not see Him any more, and thus dissatisfied, I was very much aggrieved.

Seeing my attempts in that lonely place, the Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to all mundane description, spoke to me with gravity and pleasing words, just to mitigate my grief.

O Nārada [the Lord spoke], I regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and who are not completely free from all material taints can hardly see Me.

O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.

Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
First Canto, Chapter 6, Text 15-22

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The Nectar of Devotion Lecture

04 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, lecture on nectar of devotion Vrindavan India, photo by Gurudas, Srila Prabhupada

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The Nectar of Devotion Lecture
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Recorded October 18, 1972, Vṛndāvana

Taking Credit Where Credit’s Due

02 Dec 2013 1 Comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arsha Prayoga, BBT, Bhagavad-gita, Book Changes, Rupanuga das Tags: 1983 second edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, BBT, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, book changes, Rupanuga das, Srila Prabhupada

Here is another nice article by Sriman Rupanuga Prabhu. This deals with the book changes issue, particularly, the revised 1983 Bhagavad-gita. This book change issue is very important for the spiritual welfare of all future generations of devotees and interested persons. It is worth a careful read.

Taking Credit Where Credit’s Due
by Rupanuga das (ACBSP)

The revised and enlarged edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is (BGAII), as published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) 1983, disregards the academic community’s protocols or standards governing the revised editions of the books. According to the guidelines now widely accepted and practiced by publishers and academicians, the names of editors and co-authors of such newly revised editions are to be included along with dates. This distinguishes such a 2nd edition from a publication which is only a second printing of an author’s original first edition.

Anomalies in the Kali Age

01 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Kali Yuga, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vedas Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, anomalies, enlightened in spiritual knowledge, future anomalies, Kaili age, Kali, Kali-yuga, millennium, spiritual knowldege, spiritual master, Srila Vyasadeva, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vyasadeva

The great sage Vyāsadeva saw anomalies in the duties of the millennium. This happens on the earth in different ages, due to unseen forces in the course of time.

The great sages like Vyāsadeva are liberated souls, and therefore they can see clearly past and future. Thus he could see the future anomalies in the Kali age, and accordingly he made arrangement for the people in general so that they can execute a progressive life in this age, which is full of darkness. The people in general in this age of Kali are too much interested in matter, which is temporary. Because of ignorance they are unable to evaluate the assets of life and be enlightened in spiritual knowledge.

…The unmanifested forces of time are so powerful that they reduce all matter to oblivion in due course. In Kali-yuga, the last millennium of a round of four millenniums, the power of all material objects deteriorates by the influence of time. In this age the duration of the material body of the people in general is much reduced, and so is the memory. The action of matter has also not so much incentive. The land does not produce food grains in the same proportions as it did in other ages. The cow does not give as much milk as it used to give formerly. The production of vegetables and fruits is less than before. As such, all living beings, both men and animals, do not have sumptuous, nourishing food. Due to want of so many necessities of life, naturally the duration of life is reduced, the memory is short, intelligence is meager, mutual dealings are full of hypocrisy and so on.

Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Canto One, Chapter 4, Texts 16, 17-18

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